This a great place. Fin de siecle ennui. Weltschmerz. Beautiful misery. All can be cultivated here with great aplomb...
Staring into your cup of tea...
Idly fiddling with the salt cellar...
Staring at the huge, startling mural.
cafe miscellania
- from Kieran
i used to work as a dispatch rider in london and went to hundreds of cafes and i've seen some of my old faves on your website. i wonder if you can help me find a real gem.... it was a small cafe run by an ex-boxer in his late 50's and had old b&w photos of boxers/fights/promo posters all over the place and i mean from skirting boards to ceilings. the food was good but the character of the place and the people there was awesome. all i can remember is that it was in it's own small building in the greenwich area on a desolate industrial estate. it'd be great to re-visit or see a review cheers and thanks for all that dedicated eating
- from Clare
It may be too far out of the west end for you, but I have a haven of greasy spooned-ness at the end of my road. YORK CAFE on Woolwich Road is clean, friendly and with proper chips. It is even licensed I think. Give it a go!
- from Lambros
TJ's Cafe in mortlake sw14 open seven days a weeks, big portions!! cheap. you should definatley visit this place won the "best greasy spoon" in london award 2003
- from The Shropshire Cafe
Russell how come we have not seen you at our cafe you are missing a treat. We serve the best all day breakfast in the North West We cater for everyone also we are in the process of taking on the title of the Ace Cafe of the Midlands Regards Lynn & Pete.
- from Dave
May I heartily recommend Sues Cafe in Gillingham Road, Gillingham, Kent (almost opposite the Arriva Bus Depot). Great food, great tea............very good prices for such good quality breakfasts and dinners.
- from Abby
The mess in Hackney is much nicer (and admittedly middle classer) than it's local counterparts (nice sausage rather than pig's bum). Some say it's better than Mario's... Alt for a good proper greasy spoon Dilari's on the corner of Mare Street is pretty good. Packed out every lunchtime and they have a non-smoking side of the room. Finally, if you live near Ealing and you've never been to Starvin' Marvins you're missing out. I was cautiously eating my breakfast with the pancake and maple syrup on one side and the bacon and eggs and hash brown on the other. Then absentmindedly I stabbed a bit of bacon onto the end of my syrupy pancaked-up fork… It's manna from lardarse heaven.
- from Emma
I love yr book and website. I have never commented on one or a blog before as I dont know how to. My son got this space for me. I am trying to get info on my favourite old cafe, The Blue Sky, by corner of Westbourne Grove and Chepstow Rd,London W2, between PAddington and Portobello Rd, which was my home from home from 1974-80.I lived in various squats and flats nearby and hung out with various groovy people in those days.... It closed down a few years ago. I wld love to get photos and the name/address of the lovely Irish waitress and Italian boss.... I have tried the Archives at Westminster City Library but no luck. I am doing a Ceramics degree as a v mature student and want to do an installation recreating a table at it, the light coming thru steamy bright plateglass windows, the smells, food, china,plastic menus, etc etc. I have assembled a load of stuff (tables, chairs etc),but they are not perfect. I wonder if you have any ideas on where I cld borrow/hire perfect stuff in one fell swoop, for a few days in early Jan 07? Most of all I want to get hold of a tape/CD of cafe background noises. Any ideas? Many thanks, Emma
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ebcb archive
- Beach Cafe, West Street, Aberporth, SA43 2DB
- George’s, 83 Green Lanes, Palmers Green, N13 4TD
- The Cafe, 10A Vauxhall Bridge Road, London, SW1V 2SD
- Star Cafe Grill, King Street, Hammersmith
- Acton Town Cafe, Central Parade, Gunnersbury Lane, Acton
- Jones Dairy, 24 Tudor Street, EC4
- Bridge The Gap, 171F Battersea Park Road, SW8
- Cafe Crescent, 40 Camden High Street
- Full Monty Cafe, 207 Brighton Road (A23), Coulsdon
- Jack's, 252 Lavender Hill, SW11
- South Stack Kitchen, Holyhead, Anglesey
- My Tea Shop, 23 Duke Street Hill, SE1
- The Cosy Teapot, 101 Carrington Street, Nottingham
- Rhos Transport Cafenear J49 of the M4, Carmarthenshire
- Workers Cafe, Upper Street, Islington, N1
- Denis Cafe, Castle Sands, The Harbour, Tenby, Pembrokeshire
- Antonio's Cafe, 14-17 Piccadilly South, Manchester, M1
- Double Six Cafe, Eversholt Street, NW1
- Woodhead's Cafe, Simpson Street, Blackpool
- Mermaid Cafe, North Prom, Mablethorpe
- Abergeldie Cafe, Shudehill, Manchester, M4
- Raffles, Craven Road, W2
- Cafe In The Garden, Russell Square, WC1
- Embankment Cafe, 25 Victoria Embankment, WC2
- Colindale Cafe, Colindale Road, NW9
- Becks Sandwich Bar, Red Lion Street, WC1
- Valtaro Snack Bar, Marchmont Street, WC1
- Grange Cafe, Grange Road, Bermondsey SE1
- Windy Ridge, Ashbourne Road, Winkhill, nr Leek
- River Cafe, Putney Bridge, SW6
- Tony's Snack Bar, Chapter Street, SW1
- Tiffany's, North Road, Brighton
- Buscot Dairy Cafe, 44A Harrowby Street, W1
- Times Cafe, 155 Malden Road, NW5
- Amigo's, 37 Eagle Street, WC1R
- Perugino, Tottenham Street, W1
- DeNiro's, 34 Maple Street, W1
- Parma Cafe, 412 Kennington Road, SE 11
- La Forchetta, 92 Cowcross Street, EC1
- The Warsaw Diner, Derby Road, Nottingham
- Wilton Snack Bar, Wilton Road, Victoria
- Rosa's Cafe, Hanbury Street, E1
- Tony's, Northcote Road, SW11
- Maries Cafe, Lower Marsh, Waterloo
- Sarah's Tuck-In, Grainger Market, Newcastle
- Cherrytop Cafe, Paddington Street, London, W1
- Cherrytop Cafe, Paddington Street, London, W1
- The Old Smithy, B5055, Monyash, Derbyshire
- Rossi Restaurant, Hanbury Street, E1
- Sarah's Cafe, Kentish Town Road, NW1
- Cafe D'Jaconelli, 570 Maryhill Road, Glasgow
- Stracathro Services, A90, North of Brechin
- Fortes Restaurant, 15 Hide Hill, Berwick Upon Tweed
- Tower Restaurant, 107 Lumley Road, Skegness
- Mr Egg, 22 Hurst Road, Birmingham
- Gambardella, 48 Vanburgh Park, SE3
- Gino's Coffee Bar, Marylebone Place, NW1
- York Cafe, York Place, Clifton, Bristol
- Bar Bruno, Wardour Street, W1
- Euston Sandwich Bar, Euston Road, NW1
- Bar Remo, Princes Street, W1
- Dino's Grill, Commercial Street, EC1
- Muratori, Margaret Street, EC1
- Salt Box Cafe, Hatton, A511, Derbyshire
- PJs Transport Cafe, Draycott-In-The-Clay, Staffs
- Dolphin Restaurant, Great Dark Street, Aberystwyth
- Grindleford Station Cafe, Grindleford, Derbyshire
- Astral Cafe, Horseferry Road, SW1
- Obertelli's Eating House, Leadenhall Market, EC3
- Metropolitan, Edgware Road, W2
- E Pellicci, Bethnall Green Road, E2
- the shepherdess, shepherdess walk, n1
- lino's, alfred place, wc1
- new piccadilly, denman street, w1
- sky 2, hanson street, w1
- diana's diner, endell street, wc1
- city corner, middlesex street, ec1
- blandfords, chiltern street, w1
cup of tea archive
- Macari's Icecream Parlour, 246 Terminus Road, Eastbourne
- The Islander, 5 The Maltings, Uttoxeter
- Zippy, 42 Goldhawk Road, W12
- The Scandinavian Kitchen, Great Titchfield Street, W1
- Andrews Restaurant, 160 Grays Inn Road, WC1
- Paul Rothe & Son, Marylebone Lane, W1
- Wish Tower Cafe, King Edwards Parade, Western Lawns, Eastbourne
- Light Railway Restaurant, Scanlon Bridge Road, Hythe, Kent
- Arbutt's Cafe, Haggersgate, Whitby
- The Honest Sausage, Regent's Park
- Chunnel Bar, 133 Lower Marsh, SE1
- Grandad's, A5, between Oswestry and Shrewsbury
- Llanfaethlu Coffee House
- Maison Bertaux, Greek Street, W1
- Farina's, leather lane, EC1
- Sky Cafe, Hanson Street, W1
- Cafe, Redchurch Street, E2
- D's brew stop, Cressbrook
- Scrambled, Cleveland Street, W1
- The Breakfast Club Soho - D'Arblay Street, W1
- Aroma Coffee Bar, Lumley Road, Skegness
- Maria's Cafe, Burdett Road, E14
- H's Cafe, Neptune Street, SE16
- Scottis, Clerkenwell Green, EC1
- Vecchio Snack Bar, Madoc Street, Llandudno
- Cafe Romano, Grenville Street, WC1
- Lorelei, Bateman Street, W1
- Il Buffone Cafe, Macklin Street
- Marylebone Cafe, Marylebone Lane
- Nardini's, Esplanade, Largs
- National Milk Bars, Penrallt Street, Machynlleth
- JT's snack bar, North Beach, Tenby
- Harbour Bar, Sandside, Scarborough
- Rendezvous Cafe, The Promenade, Whitley Bay
- Cafe Riviera, Newbiggin-by-the-Sea, Northumberland
- Journey's End Cafe, Small Hope Beach, Shanklin
- Castle Snack Bar, Tabernacle Street, EC2
- Wilkins, Marsham Street, SW1
- Regency Cafe, 17-19 Recency Street, SW1
- Bon Appetit, Cleveland Street, W1
- Panino D'Oro, Brunswick Centre, WC1N
- tors cafe, derby road (a52), cromford
- da Andrea, Great Sutton Street, EC1
- picasso's, king's road, sw3
- inn the park, st james's park, w1
- ellie's cafe, edgeware road, nw2
- hungry hippo, matlock park, matlock, derbyshire
- citysnacks, theobalds road, wc1
- new piccadilly, denman street, w1
- friendly cafe, old field lane, greenford
- vg snack bar, great portland street tube, w1
- lido, great castle street, w1
- cafe roma, berwick street, w1
- little portland cafe, little portland street, w1
- centrale, soho
- 101 snack bar, charing cross road, wc2
- bar italia, frith street
- sandwich bar, brooks mews, w1
- shepherdess, shepherdess walk, n1
- matteos sandwich bar, tottenham street, w1
- star cafe, great chapel street, w1
- rendezvous, maddox street, w1
- market place cafe, market place, w1
- franks, great titchfield street, w1
- bar bruno, wardour street, wc1
- franx, neal street / shatesbury avenue, wc2
Another great set of pics ! I was here one evening a few weeks ago,on my pilgrimage through classic caff land. The lighting was so poor, I think I gave myself eyestrain trying to read The Standard. It looks a lot more cheerful in daylight.
It's incredible that a place so unreconstructed still exists in the heart of one of the world's most expensive cities.
The food's not bad, and what they save on decor reflects in the cheap prices. I'll probably use this place again, while it's still there.
Posted by: Patrick | December 04, 2004 at 07:48 PM
Wonderful! The pasta is decent and the pizzas are great, homemade and unique in style. The espresso is excellent and from a very old machine which, charmingly, requires quite a bit of pre-heating. The Italian licensee seems to run this with his wife and they're very sweet. Best of all is the ambience (where else can you have a conversation in Soho on a Saturday without shouting into your companion's ears?) and the BYO policy. Check out the fabulous 70s spotlights on that mural!
Posted by: James | December 20, 2004 at 12:54 PM
Hi,
my name is Lorelay!! I'm writing you from the beautiful Rome, in Italy. Are you Italian?
I found a photo of your restaurant in an italian magazine, and so I decided to keep in touch in order to know the story of your restaurant and his name.
thanks a lot for your kindness. If I will come to visit London, I wont miss a yours coffe!
I have a last question: what does it mean "Cimballino"?
best wishes
Lorelay, Enrico and Valentina
Posted by: lorelay felli | January 04, 2005 at 12:45 PM
Indeed! And I saw Jarvis Cocker in there a while ago.
Posted by: Ardy | January 19, 2005 at 04:28 PM
Hi, I'm 11 and and I think it's cool to have a resturant that has the same name as me! I'm from the states.
Posted by: lorelei | May 18, 2005 at 08:48 PM
Hi
One August In 1965, I met my girl friend in your restaurant in Bateman Street, married her and still going strong.
It was a great place then, especially the rum babbas! and spaghetti butter & cheese!
Is the juke box still in the alcove?
Great coffee-Gaggia I think-I wonder if the restaurant has changed much in all these years.
Great to see it is still there.
Les & Alan S.
Posted by: Lesley & Alan schiffman | October 22, 2005 at 10:58 PM
Went in here a couple of weeks ago and had a pizza with anchovies and cherry toms called which i think was called a 'pauper's choice'. The pizza was sublime and the cup of tea was just the right strength. Wonderful place.
Posted by: Jams | February 08, 2006 at 10:41 AM
I used to come here in the mid eighties with fellow signer-on Mike (him a stage artiste, me a poet) for an inexpensive, quiet, civilized evening away from Thatcherism. I now live in the USA, and every time I come back to London I am relieved and delighted that it's still there. Molto grazie.
Posted by: Simon | April 03, 2006 at 08:51 PM
Popped in again and had an espresso - yum and a Capricciosa Pizza with a shed load of capers. I was one of only two people in there which was a great shame when pret down the road was stacked. I'm really glad that this place is still open and hope it stays that way for a long time to come.
Posted by: jams | November 24, 2006 at 12:25 PM